New Adult Vaccine Guards Against Pertussis
- By admin aapc
- In Industry News
- January 5, 2009
- Comments Off on New Adult Vaccine Guards Against Pertussis
It may be flu and cold season, but it’s always a good time for providers to be on the lookout for pertussis (whooping cough). Symptoms mirror the common cold: runny nose, sneezing, mild fever, and coughing. The tip off is cough severity and duration.
Pertussis is a contagious respiratory tract infection. Left untreated, it can last more than 100 days and manifest into pneumonia. Although vaccination is recommended — (DTaP) at age 15-18 months and 4-6 years, (Tdap) at 11-12 years, and a (Td/Tdap) booster every 10 years for adults — pertussis continues to persist in the United States, with epidemic cycles every 3-4 years.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) 2007 National Immunization Survey (NIS), an estimated 98 percent of adults 18-64 reported not receiving a whooping cough booster shot.
Regardless, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved GlaxoSmitKine’s BOOSTRIX (tetanus toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine, adsorbed) for use in adults 19-64.
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Is there a CPT code yet for “Boostrix”? Thank you
I would use a 90715 as this is according to GSK what represents the vaccine, there is no Medicare specific code that I could find.
90715 is the correct code for Boostrix. It’s actually been on the market for several years but was originally FDA approved only for ages 10-18. The new FDA approval for ages 19-64 is just an expansion of the original indication. The same code would be used for the vaccine Adacel as well.
CMS needs to consider adding the Boostrix as a covered preventative service. The reimbursement of this vaccine in a physician out ways the cost of the complications of whooping cough.